Under $100: Denver

For a Mile High kind of breakfast, begin a visit to Denver with a stop at Sam’s No. 3. Diner. While there are three locations in and around Denver, the downtown establishment sits at 15^th and Curtis. Established in 1927, Sam’s serves up an expansive menu of Mexican food, Greek dishes and all-American meals. The breakfast menu is endless featuring items like Mr. Sam’s Big Breakfast, a massive meal of three eggs, homefries, a choice of bacon, ham, links or patty along with French toast, mini cakes or biscuits and gravy. Skillets and omelets at Sam’s run around the same price at $9.99. Cheaper eats include a breakfast burrito for $5.99.

You can spend some time delving into Denver’s history without forking over a dime. The Colorado State Capitol offers free 45-minute tours. The United States Mint in Denver also lends free tours of its facilities. You can round out the morning by paying a visit to the restored Victorian home of one of Denver’s most famous former residents, Molly Brown. Admission costs $10.

If your stomach isn’t too full from the massive breakfast at Sam’s, you can grab a sandwich at Colorado-born chain, Snarf’s Sandwiches. The first Snarf’s opened in Boulder and today there are 20 locations in Colorado, Chicago, St. Louis and Austin. Denver boasts several locations where a small sandwich runs around $5.25 and a large sandwich prices around $9.75.

Post sandwich, burn off some calories at one of Denver’s many parks. Washington Park, commonly referred to as “Wash Park,” south of downtown populates with joggers, walkers and rollerblading locals. City Park in downtown Denver is also worth strolling for its many walking and running trails.

After strolling Denver’s parks, pop into a few of the city’s most famous museums including the Denver Museum of Nature and Science and the Denver Art Museum. Admission for the Denver Museum of Nature and Science costs $13 while the Denver Art Museum prices at $10 for Colorado residents and $13 for out-of-towners.

For happy hour, beer is the name of Denver’s game. You can join one of the many free brewery tours in town such as Great Divide Brewing Co. in LoDo. If you just want to taste some local pints, Denver Beer Co. is a good place to start where creations like the Graham Cracker Porter and the Chocolate Chili Stout price at around $6.

To close out your time in Denver, feast on dinner at the Buckhorn Exchange, server of Old West cuisine since 1893. An 8-ounce beef tenderloin steak prices at $35.